House panel terminates OVP budget deliberations in less than 7 minutes

MANILA, Philippines — The deliberation of the proposed Office of the Vice President (OVP) budget for 2023 was terminated in just less than seven minutes by the House of Representatives committee on appropriations after no questions were entertained as a courtesy to Vice President Sara Duterte.

During the deliberations of OVP’s budget on Wednesday, Minority Floor Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan moved to terminate the budget briefing as a sign of respect for Duterte, who was personally present during the panel’s hearing.

According to Libanan, there are members from the minority who want to ask questions about OVP’s budget — particularly those from the Makabayan bloc — but they would just ask the questions on the plenary level as a courtesy to the Vice President.

“While some members of the Makabayan bloc would like to propound questions on some new items in the budget, they also join us, but rather they will propound questions in the plenary to extend our courtesy to the Office of the Vice President,” Libanan said.

“Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I move that we terminate the budget briefing on the Office of the Vice President. So moved, Mr. Speaker,” he added.

Libanan’s motion was seconded by Majority Floor Leader and Zamboanga City 2nd District Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe.

“Mr. Chairman, the Majority joins the Minority in terminating the budget briefing of the Office of the Vice President, so we register our second,” Dalipe said.

Duterte, in response, thanked the House for the courtesy, vowing to aid lawmakers if they need assistance in projects.

“Thank you for sharing this day with the Office of the Vice President, and thank you for your continued support to the budget and all the programs, activities, and projects of the Office of the Vice President,” Duterte said.

“We continue to support as well the legislative districts of our honorable members of the House of Representatives with all the meager projects of the [OVP]. And if there is anything that we can do to help you as an Office, in your respective mandates in your respective legislative districts and party lists, please do let us know; we are open to collaborations in helping our fellow Filipinos,” she added.

The budget briefing was presided by committee chairperson and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co, while key House officials such as Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos were also present during the proceedings.

For the 2023 National Expenditure Program, the Department of Budget and Management had proposed a P2.922 billion budget for OVP — including good governance and confidential funds that were assailed by the opposition.

READ: Makabayan bloc: Why P2.3-billion budget for OVP?

However, OVP spokesperson Reynold Munsayac last September 1 defended the P2.2 billion fund for the “good governance” program, which he said will be utilized primarily for the OVP’s public assistance plans.

“‘Yung bulto ng OVP budget papasok sa basic social services na pino-provide natin ngayon, andiyan ‘yung financial subsidy, medical assistance, burial assistance, at ‘yung libreng sakay, pati ‘yung livelihood programs,” Munsayac explained in a press conference.

(The bulk of the OVP budget will go into the essential social services that we provide, such as the financial subsidy, medical assistance, burial assistance, free ride, and livelihood programs.)

READ: OVP: ‘Good governance,’ confidential funds will be used for social services, nat’l security 

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